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Scott Russell

Scott Russell's picture

About me

Scott Russell (scott@tcdailyplanet.net) wrote for the Southwest Journal and Skyway News (now the Downtown Journal) in Minneapolis from 1999-2005. He also wrote for The Capital Times, a Madison Wisconsin daily, from 1993-1999.


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'Apples to apples' comparison finds recent state general fund spending growth is modest

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

Understanding trends in state general fund spending has become more challenging in recent years, given a number of unusual one-time occurrences with a big impact.MORE »

'98 percent' constitutional amendment undercuts common-sense budgeting

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

In our ongoing effort to highlight the pitfalls of budgeting by constitutional amendment, we just released an issue brief, ’98 Percent’ Constitutional Amendment Creates Barriers MORE »

Unemployment rate among blacks highlights continuing racial disparities in Minnesota

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

Minnesota’s black unemployment rate was a shocking 27 percent in the third quarter of 2011 – by far the highest level in the 25 states examined in a recent study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).MORE »

Constitutional amendment could risk Minnesota's credit rating

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

Minnesota’s legislative leaders are considering a constitutional amendment that would require a supermajority vote in both the House and Senate to raise taxes. It could be a bad move for the state, increasing jitters among national credit rating agencies that are already nervous about Minnesota’s financial flexibility and creditworthiness.MORE »

Proposal asks Minnesota's renters to pay the price to end business property tax

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

Here we go again with another proposal to dramatically cut the Renters’ Credit, a property tax refund for about 300,000 low- and moderate-income Minnesota households. It refunds a portion of the property taxes that renters pay through their rents. MORE »

Opportunity knocks with federal health care reform

By Christina Wessel and Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

Among the hot topics at the Capitol in the 2012 Legislative Session is how federal health care reform will be implemented here in Minnesota. The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 lays out a path to address the many problems facing the nation’s curreMORE »

Tax changes for online hotel booking create level playing field

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

It was little noticed, but Minnesota did score a small victory this legislative session: The state budget created a level playing field between similar businesses, and it updated our tax system to catch up with modern technology.MORE »

State revenue and cash flow steady, but economic worries remain

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

First the good news. The State of Minnesota started out the first quarter of the FY 2012-13 biennium with higher-than-expected revenue.MORE »

State's revenues on track, but forecast looks grim

By Scott Russell, Minnesota Budget Bites

The odds are increasing that Minnesota state government will face a new revenue shortfall when the Legislature reconvenes in February. This July, the Governor and Legislature passed a balanced budget for the FY 2012-13 cycle, which runs through June 30, 2013. But a weakening economic outlook raises the prospects that a mid-biennium shortfall will open up.MORE »

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